VLOOKUP formula in excel with examples

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

VLOOKUP stands for vertical lookup and we can use to scan a column and get matching data. In this article, learn how to use VLOOKUP with 10 practical examples. You also get a free sample workbook to practice VLOOKUP.

Table of Contents

What is VLOOKUP?

VLOOKUP stands for Vertical Lookup. We can use it scan your data to find a matching value. 

You can use the below syntax to write VLOOKUP.

				
					'SYNTAX

=VLOOKUP(search_value, in_this_data, return_column_number, approximate_match_ok?)
				
			
  • Search_value: this is the first parameter or option for VLOOKUP. You can specify the lookup value here. It can be a typed-in value or reference to a cell value.
  • In_this_data: This is where your data is. It can be on the same worksheet or in another tab. It can be a range of values (like B5:E17) or a table (like tblSales).
  • return_column_number: This number tells VLOOKUP which column to extract after the result is found. Refer to below examples to better understand this.
  • approximate_match_ok? This TRUE / FALSE setting tells VLOOKUP if you want an approximate or exact match for your search. In 99% of situations, I use FALSE for this, as we need EXACT matches in business situations.

VLOOKUP Explanation

Here is a simple VLOOKUP to get the sales value of Josh from my sales data in the range $B$5:$E$17. The formula returns the result of $1680. 

Refer to below image to understand the concept of VLOOKUP.

vlookup-example-with-explanation
				
					'SYNTAX

=VLOOKUP(search_value, in_this_data, return_column_number, approximate_match_ok?)


'EXAMPLE
=VLOOKUP("Josh", $B$5:$E$17,3,FALSE)

'RESULT
1680
				
			

EXPLANATION
Vertically looks up “Josh” in column B of the range B5:E17 and returns the exact matching value from column D (3rd column from B). Refer to the above picture and syntax to understand the concept.

VLOOKUP - 5 Essential Examples

Now that you understand the concept of VLOOKUP, let’s look at 5 essential examples of this lookup function in day-to-day business settings.

Note: All these examples use the same sales dataset as above. You can grab a copy of this file from here.

vlookup-5-essential-examples

Example 1 - Basic Usage of VLOOKUP

The most basic usage of VLOOKUP is to lookup a value in a table and get corresponding matching value from another column.

In this example, we want to lookup sales of “Josh” from the sales data in the range B5:E17. 

 

				
					'EXAMPLE 1

=VLOOKUP("Josh", $B$5:$E$17,3,FALSE)

'RESULT
1680
				
			

Example 2 - Using Input Cell for Search Value

One simple way to make your VLOOKUP formulas powerful is by using input cell to maintain the search value. This way, everytime you need to search for a different thing, you just update the search value.

				
					'EXAMPLE 2
'Put a person's name in cell G8, such as Jagjit

'Formula:
=VLOOKUP(G8,$B$5:$E$17,4,FALSE)

'RESULT
709
				
			

Example 3 - Searching by pattern (name begins with)

Many times, we don’t know what the full value is. We just know the first few letters. For example, looking at the sales data in range B5:E17, you want to find the sales of the person whose name begins with the value in cell G5.

For example, G5 contains Jav

In this case, we are looking for the person Javed.

vlookup-with-wild-cards-example
				
					'EXAMPLE 3
'Type Jav in G5

'Formula:
=VLOOKUP(G5&"*",$B$5:$E$17,3,FALSE)

'RESULT
$2277
				
			

How this “Name begins with” VLOOKUP works?

  • The formula is =VLOOKUP(G5&”*”,$B$5:$E$17,3,FALSE)
  • First let’s look at the search_value option. This is G5&”*”
  • As G5 is “Jav”, this becomes Jav*
  • * is a special character for VLOOKUP. It means, anything after Jav.
  • So VLOOKUP looks for any name that begins with Jav and finds Javed. 
  • The rest is easy to understand.

POP QUIZ…

  • How would you find Net Sales for the person whose name ends with sh
  • Write a formula for that and share your answers in the comment section.

Example 4 - Get the entire record

Let’s say you want the entire record, not just Net Sales column (3). In this case, you can use an array as the 3rd parameter for VLOOKUP. See this powerful example.

				
					'EXAMPLE 4
'Get entire record for Johnson

'Formula:
=VLOOKUP("Johnson",$B$5:$E$17,{1,2,3,4},FALSE)

'RESULT
The entire row of values for Johnson
Johnson	10	$1,540 	$570 

				
			

Note about using this formula:

  • If you have Excel 365 or using Excel on the web, the above formula works as is.
  • If you are using any older version of Excel (such as Excel 2016 / 2013 / 2010), then you should do the below steps:
    • Select a range of 4 cells for your result.
    • Type the formula in the very first cell.
    • Then instead of pressing ENTER, press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER

Example 5 - When VLOOKUP can't find the value...

Life would be just awesome if we can always find what we want. Sadly, that is not the case. So what happens when VLOOKUP can’t find the value you want to look for?

It will return an error. #N/A error.

See below example. Read on to learn how to fix the problem.

				
					'EXAMPLE 5
'Looking for an non-existent value

'Formula:
=VLOOKUP("Chandoo", B5:E17,2,FALSE)

'RESULT
#N/A

				
			

How to fix the #N/A error in VLOOKUP?

We can use the IFERROR function of Excel to handle errors with our VLOOKUP FORMULAS.

For example, you can use this formula to show a message like “Person not found” for the Example 5 above.

				
					'EXAMPLE 5 with error handling
'Looking for an non-existent value

'Formula:
=IFERROR(VLOOKUP("Chandoo", B5:E17,2,FALSE), "Person not found")

'RESULT
Person not found

				
			

How to use VLOOKUP when you have data in a table?

VLOOKUP works great with data in tables or regular ranges. I prefer using VLOOKUP with table data as tables are easier to manage business data.

Related: Learn how to create and use Excel Tables

Here are 3 examples of using VLOOKUP with CTRL+T Tables in Excel.

 

vlookup-with-table-data-3-examples
				
					'VLOOKUP TABLE EXAMPLES
'Data is in table named tblSales

'Formula:
=VLOOKUP("Josh",tblSales,3,FALSE)
'Result:
$1680

'Formula
=VLOOKUP(G37,tblSales,3,FALSE)
'Result
$1799

'Formula
=VLOOKUP(G41&"*",tblSales,3,FALSE)
'Result:
$2277

				
			

Learn more about tables in Excel:

VLOOKUP - Video Tutorial

Please refer to below video tutorial to understand how to use VLOOKUP.

(See it on YouTube directly)

Download VLOOKUP Examples - Workbook

Please download the sample workbook for this article and learn how to use VLOOKUP quickly.

What are the limitations of VLOOKUP?

While VLOOKUP is a game changer when it was originally introduced, when you look at the data challenges we all face in 2024, it suffers from many limitations. Here are the main downsides of using VLOOKUP.

vlookup-limitation-cannot-go-left
  • It can only lookup on the left-most column: VLOOKUP can only search on the data in left-most column of the table and return values to the right. So, if you want to find out the sales person’s name who has sales of $2,133, we can’t do that with VLOOKUP.
  • Column Numbers: Let’s be real. Nobody refers to their data by column numbers. We think and memorize the data by what it is. So, if I want to lookup a name and get the corresponding sales, then I must translate the sales to column number for VLOOKUP. This is lame. 
  • No Error handling:  VLOOKUP doesn’t handle errors by itself. So if your lookup cannot find the value, it just comes back with #N/A. This often has a cascading effect on the charts, dashboards or reports you create.
    • We can use either XLOOKUP or IFERROR to solve this problem.
  • Approximate Trap: I can’t tell you how many times I accidentally leave the last parameter of VLOOKUP out and end up getting wrong results. This is because, if you forget to say FALSE at the end of VLOOKUP, you fall into the approximate trap. Your VLOOKUP RESULTS WILL BE WRONG.
    • We can use XLOOKUP or be careful when writing VLOOKUPS.

My top 3 Alternatives for VLOOKUP

Let me be honest here. As of 2024, I no longer use VLOOKUP to solve my lookup problems in Excel. I use one of these alternatives depending on the nature of the job.

  1. XLOOKUP:  Ever since XLOOKUP was launched a few years ago, it has become my go to lookup formula. It can do everything VLOOKUP does and adds many time-saving features.
    • XLOOKUP can lookup both vertically or horizontally.
    • XLOOKUP defaults to exact match all the time.
    • It can lookup on any column and return another column (thus fixing the left column only limitation of VLOOKUP)
    • It has built-in error handling mechanism.
    • It works well with new Dynamic Array world of Excel.
  2. Power Query: We can use the MERGE Queries functionality of Power Query to lookup and get matching values for two tables quickly and efficiently. I mention this in my recent video here
  3. Power Pivot: If you have two tables each holding one piece of a data puzzle and you want to answer business questions by combining both datasets, we can use Power Pivot’s relationship feature. This automatically connects both tables and let’s you synthesize data to answer queries. Learn how to use Power Pivot to replace VLOOKUPs.

In conclusion: Should you learn and use VLOOKUP?

As mentioned above, I no longer actively use VLOOKUP for my lookup problems. That said, it is a very useful formula and I recommend everyone to learn the basic syntax at the minimum.

  • If you use Excel 365 or Excel on Web: Focus on learning XLOOKUP instead.
  • If you also work in Power BI: Learn how to use Power Query and Power Pivot to replace LOOKUPS in your data.
  • If you work with older versions of Excel: Then VLOOKUP is a must for you. Learn and use it well.

More information on VLOOKUP

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Share this tip with your colleagues

Excel and Power BI tips - Chandoo.org Newsletter

Get FREE Excel + Power BI Tips

Simple, fun and useful emails, once per week.

Learn & be awesome.

Welcome to Chandoo.org

Thank you so much for visiting. My aim is to make you awesome in Excel & Power BI. I do this by sharing videos, tips, examples and downloads on this website. There are more than 1,000 pages with all things Excel, Power BI, Dashboards & VBA here. Go ahead and spend few minutes to be AWESOME.

Read my storyFREE Excel tips book

Overall I learned a lot and I thought you did a great job of explaining how to do things. This will definitely elevate my reporting in the future.
Rebekah S
Reporting Analyst
Excel formula list - 100+ examples and howto guide for you

From simple to complex, there is a formula for every occasion. Check out the list now.

Calendars, invoices, trackers and much more. All free, fun and fantastic.

Advanced Pivot Table tricks

Power Query, Data model, DAX, Filters, Slicers, Conditional formats and beautiful charts. It's all here.

Still on fence about Power BI? In this getting started guide, learn what is Power BI, how to get it and how to create your first report from scratch.

28 Responses to “2010 Calendar – Excel Template [Downloads]”

  1. [...] Download and print the calendars today. You can add notes to individual dates or complete … [...] Uni Ego / Free 2010 Calendar – Download and Print Year 2010 Calendar today [...]

  2. William says:

    Afternoon,

    I have one similar calander that I added conditional formatting to so that I could highlight any planned factory holidays. I think i "borrowed" the formula from another calander so I won't post it here.

    I also added week numbers to it using the formula =WEEKNUM(MAX(C6:I6)) Where C6:I6 is the range of dates in that give week. It works fine on most of the months but return strange values on other months (Week 6 in October?) I can't see any logic behind why it does this.
    Any suggestions for an alternative formula to give the week numbers?

    Regards,

    William

  3. Miguel says:

    Hi Chandoo,
    I've added a new feature on your spreadsheet.
    This control can be useful for all the sheets where you need to check dates.

    Cheers

    http://cid-69a78592a23a8438.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/2010-calendar%5E_Miguel.xls

  4. Nimesh says:

    Hi Chandoo,

    Nice calendar.
    Till now whichever calendar I saw in Excel, it contained only the outline sheet.
    Good to see monthly views and the mini view too.
    Liked the mini view much. 🙂

    -Nimesh

  5. Chandoo says:

    @William: This weeknum may be because the input dates to max are not properly formatting as excel dates.

    Good tip on the conditional formatting and holidays btw...

    @Migueal: Now that is super awesome. This is the reason why I love to blog. Readers will always one up me with such cool alternatives. Thank you for sharing this with us.

    @Nimesh: You are welcome 🙂

  6. Shish says:

    is it possible to get the Notes section on the outline page to display the notes added to the month page for a specific date?

    So if you add thing for January 2nd, and then select January 2nd those notes appear on the outline page

  7. Chandoo says:

    @Shish... You can do that using some formula magic. I would not recommend pushing excel to that as outlook / google calendar / icalc etc. do exactly that much more elegantly.

  8. Jörg says:

    Happy christmas to all of you!
    This is really awesome. The nicest calender I've seen for Excel. I also like Miguels version of the sheet.

    Just one "feature" is missing to me. As I live in Germany - where weeks start on Monday - I'd like to change this. Could someone please give me a hint how to do this?

    Thanks in advance

    Jörg

  9. Pedro says:

    Hi Chandoo, I’ve added some new features on your spreadsheet with your permission.

    Check it here:
    http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Calendar%5E_Pedro.xlsm

    Miguel, this calendar is translated to Spanish language.

    Jörg, this new approach allows us to start weeks on Monday.

    Also it's possible to start weeks on Sunday if you enable Excel macros and push the arrows.
    Best Regards,
    Pedro.

  10. Chandoo says:

    @Pedro.. superb stuff.. thanks for sharing the file with all of us.

  11. Pedro says:

    Hi Chandoo, for dates before March 1, 1900 our calendars are wrong.
    In Microsoft Excel, DATE, EOMONTH, WEEKDAY functions return an incorrect result between Monday, January 1, 1900 and Wednesday, February 28, 1900.
    See this page: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214326/en-us/
    Microsoft Excel incorrectly assumes that the year 1900 is a leap year in all Excel versions.
    That's the reason why our calendar versions only work from March, 1, 1900 until December, 31, 9999.
    Your comments are welcome.
    Pedro.

  12. Chandoo says:

    @Pedro.. Thanks for pointing that out. wow... This reminds me of the Joel Spolsky's first BillG review - http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/06/16.html (read it, I am sure you would love it.) when Bill out of blue asks about date time implementations for VBA (which Joel is the program manager for...)

    Thanks for sharing the URL too... Here is a specially made, chocolate sprinkled, extra fluffy donut for you 🙂

  13. Pedro says:

    Hi Chandoo, thanks a lot for the donut but I prefer it without chocolate!

    Always it's good to know a little history of Excel.
    The Joel Spolsky’s last BillG Excel review was about the "Hall of Tortured Souls"
    (See this Excel 95 Easter Egg here: http://www.eeggs.com/items/719.html)

    Do not miss the humor!

  14. Pedro says:

    @Chandoo.. I just return with a new calendar version.
    http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/calendar-pedrowave.xltx

    It helped me to practice conditional formatting, formulas to show check boxes, data validation drop down list, find out Thanksgiving Day's date for any year, how to find dates of public holidays using Excel, all reading your wonderful posts!

  15. Pedro says:

    Perpetual Calendar Spanish version starting weeks on Monday:
    http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/calendario-pedrowave.xltx
    Main characteristics:
    - Not macros.
    - Select a year from 1900 to 9999 with a dropdown listbox.
    - All date fields with the real date format.
    - Easy language change of day of the week and month names because are also dates.
    - Hide Saturdays and/or Sundays.
    - Week starting on Sunday or Monday.
    - Week and month numbers.
    - Hyperlink between sheets.
    - Consistent colors to Holidays, Diary and Events dates.
    - Easy change of Holidays by country.
    - Include 80 World Days and you can add more.
    - A diary with my birthday and 50 more programable appointments.
    - Check box to hide individual dates or all.
    - Holidays, diary and events text are showed on each month's sheet.
    - Ranges defined with Name Manager variables.
    I'll appreciate if you make me some suggestions to improve this calendar.
    Pedro.

  16. Joco1114 says:

    Please, I need help!
    I like all calendar from Pedro, thank you for them. Let me show my problem:

    I have 2 excel cells (for example AE12 and AE13) which mean the starting and the ending date of my duty. I need a macro to insert sheets with label YEAR. MONTH (for example 2010. August or similar) with the proper datas between the two dates. Is it possible?

    Thank you for reading me and sorry about my terribel english! 🙂

  17. Peter says:

    Hello Pedro,

    Thanks so much for the modified calendar template. I love the extra functionality you added. Is there any way you could upload an unlocked version? I wanted to change some of the comments and data validation so I could use it for one of my applications.

    As for feedback on potential improvements, with all the additions you made the file runs pretty slow. I'm sure this has to do with all the interconnectivity between the various tabs, but if there is a way to use less memory via more efficient formulas or something else I think this would make it easier to use. I have a brand new computer and with it running alone the response was pretty slow. One of the changes I'm making is changing the order of the months to match my company's fiscal year, so maybe something to automate a change like that could be useful.

    Cheers,

    Peter

  18. Pedro Wave says:

    Peter, my calendars are unlocked but you need Excel 2007 and 2010 versions to open them.

    Now I return with a new Programmable Task Calendar:
    http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.office.live.com/view.aspx/.Public/Calendario%20de%20Tareas.xlsx

    Wath an introductory video here:
    http://pedrowave.blogspot.com/2010/10/programmable-task-calendar.html

    This new calendar allows to select the start month to match the school and fiscal year.

  19. ASA says:

    This is great stuff Chandoo and company

    Wanted to know if someone had built something similar

    I need to store one Excel Sheet on this calendar that has all the holidays

    US Holidays appear in RED
    UK Holidays appear in Blue
    Meetings appear in Green
    Submissions appear in Orange

    Is there a way I can store the list in a separate worksheet and all the calendars get updated with this?

    Thanks

  20. divya says:

    please tell me "how to convert Rs.10000/- in to words through excel formula

  21. [...] is all! http://chandoo.org/wp/2009/12/11/2010-calendar-excel-template-downloads/ See more Templates at http://www.vertex42.com/ Share this:Like this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]

  22. Kerisa says:

    Greetings,

    Thanks for this wonderful excel vacation tracker. I notice that the tracker only has three months November, December and January 2015, however, I would like to add the other ten months for 2014. Can you please instruct me on how I can add the other months?
    Thanking you in advance.

  23. kanu bhatia says:

    Hi Chandoo,
    Calendar: can this be printed as single sheet 8.5x11 inch per month
    kanu

  24. Rahul says:

    WOW! I just searching some of like this, that help me.
    Thank you for sharing.

Leave a Reply